A Star is Torn
by Gidget1
Summary: This is a semi-faithful adaption of one of my favorite TaleSpin episodes. Baloo and Rebecca's fledgling friendship is sorely tested by his infatuation with movie queen Kitten Kaboodle.
1. A Star is Torn, Part 1 of 3

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A STAR IS TORN  
(Part 1 of 3)

_TaleSpin and its characters are the property of Buena Vista Television/Walt Disney Co.This short story was adapted from the televised episode written by Dev Ross.No profit was made, so please don't sue me.Some extra parts were written and minor changes were made in order to improve the narrative flow for the written page. I would also like to thank my good pal Ted for his invaluable feedback and advice._

_ _

_**by Michelle "Gidget" Beaubien**_

(June 1999)

During the daylight hours, the downtown streets**_ had been bustling with cars, people rushing in different directions to work and shop.But now, the nocturnal sky blanketing the metropolis was so infused with the neon signs, softly-lit street lamps and the occasional vehicle's headlights that it became a ghostly blue, almost violet.It was Saturday evening and Baloo and Rebecca Cunningham had decided to try the newest five-star restaurant in Cape Suzette._**

Last week, Baloo had delivered his cargo to their various destinations on schedule.Much to her surprise and pleasure, Rebecca Cunningham was able to deposit ten thousand shaboozies into the Higher for Hire bank account.For once, the habitual scowl was absent from her expression as Baloo at last came in shortly after six o'clock that Friday evening.Without pausing to say hello, he headed straight for his favorite faded green armchair with an exhausted sigh and closed his eyes.

"Man, my dogs are barkin' somethin' fierce tonight," he complained, rubbing his aching feet."And my back's killin' me too.All them crates of anvils I loaded onto the Duck did me in."

"But you _did deliver everything I gave you __on time, and that's the important thing!"Rebecca assured him."Oh, Baloo, I'm so happy I could just kiss you!"Baloo opened his eyes and gave her an odd, almost wary look.She flushed and amended, "I mean, you do deserve a reward...um...you __have been a model employee this week."An awkward moment passed, then an idea formed, and relieved, she snapped her fingers._

"I've got it.All right, Baloo, tomorrow night I'm taking you to dinner!" she said, grabbing her blue raincoat from the coat rack.

He brightened. "Dinner? At Louie's?Or Joe's...aw, I keep forgettin' that Joe went out of business.Man, I sure do miss his chili...."

"Let's try that fancy new restaurant on Della Street.It's getting excellent reviews," Rebecca suggested.She slipped her coat on and picked up her purse and briefcase."Goodnight, Baloo.I'll come by the office at seven."

"Solid! Thanks, Rebecca."Baloo never turned down a free meal.

"You're welcome.Oh, and wear a clean shirt and tie too._Without stains this time."_

"Awww..." he moaned as the front door closed behind her."I _knew there hadda be a catch!"_

**.....**

# Saturday night, 6:00pm

Kit couldn't believe it.He sat on his bed watching as Baloo got ready."You're going on a _date with Miz Cunningham?"_

"It ain't a date, Kit," Baloo said defensively.He sucked in his breath and buttoned his best white shirt.The buttons held, but barely."It's just dinner--a reward for a job well done, she said so.Ol' Baloo's gotta take care of the big guy."He patted his large stomach."So, kiddo, which tie should it be?"He held up two, the only ties he owned.They were identical, both olive-green with brownish-yellow spots here and there.One was a pattern; the other _used to be solid green at the time of purchase._

The boy hid a smile and pointed to the one without food stains."Are you sure?Maybe it's a excuse to get to know you better."

"That gal knows me far too well as it is."

The boy sniffed the air. "Gee, is that the scent of _soap?Did you actually take a shower?" Kit marveled, hands clasped to his chest in mock amazement._

"Yeah, yeah, yuk it up, kid," Baloo admired his reflection in the portable oval mirror propped in a corner._A sight for sore eyes, he thought approvingly. Aloud, he added, "and don't tell her nothin', either, got it?"_

"Got it, Papa Bear." Kit said.He glanced at Baloo's favorite battered old brown bomber jacket laid out on the other bed; next to it was his brown flight cap, complete with a buckled chin strap._All he needs are a pair of goggles and a scarf, thought Kit. It was hardly suitable for a fancy eating establishment."Uh, Baloo..."_

Downstairs, they heard the sound of Rebecca's key in the lock and her voice rose, floating up the stairs."Knock, knock, Baloo!Taxi's waiting."

"_COMING!" Baloo bellowed back.Quickly he slipped on the jacket and cap, checked himself in the mirror once more. "Wait'll she gets a load of me, eh, kiddo?"_

"Yeah," Kit smiled weakly but gave him a thumb's-up signal anyway."Have fun."

"Probably not, but thanks anyway."Together, they headed downstairs.

Rebecca's expression when she saw him descend the stairs was similar to Kit's."Is that soap I smell?"

"Nope, just pure Baloo," he said, then, changing the subject,"My, Rebecca, don't you look nice!"The taxi driver honked his horn outside.

She wore a smart, rather prim mauve frock, long-sleeved with a prim neckline.A jaunty lavender bow was tied at the collar, softening the severe outfit.She did own a couple of strapless gowns, but didn't think them appropriate attire for dinner with an employee.Was this a mistake?She smiled at him."Thank you.We'd better get out there.Good-night, Kit."

Kit gave them a devilish grin."Have a great time, you two!" he said. "Don't be late.Baloo has a curfew."Both rolled their eyes and headed for the taxi.

**.....**

The French doors of Chez Juliette l'Enfante suddenly flew open; Rebecca charged through with swift, angry strides.

"I have_ never been so embarrassed in my entire life!" she yelled.Baloo dutifully followed her, a few steps behind.The clean white shirt he wore strained the buttons fastened across his middle even more than before dinner.__Sure would be nice if my ol' pal Buzz could invent an elastic shirt for such __occasions.At least he didn't spill anything on his tie.During appetizers, Rebecca had commented that he looked almost respectable._

"Aw, sure ya have!" he said helpfully, spreading his beefy hands in a placating gesture."Remember the last time we went out?"

Furious, Rebecca wheeled to face him.With one accusing finger, she jabbed the air at his chest, punctuating each word.

"Tonight you turned a perfectly charming dinner into a _football game!"_

"Yeah," The gray bear preened, pleased with himself."And I think some thanks are in order, Becky."

"That's _Rebecca.Ree. Beck. Kaa." she bit out the syllables.Suddenly, an unwilling chuckle escaped her."Though...the look on Mr. McSibble's __face when you tackled him into the caviar...he always did have egg on his face.Get it, Baloo? Caviar? __Egg on his face?"Her chuckle erupted into a full, throaty laugh at her own joke.Baloo grinned, relieved that Rebecca was back in good humor.__Man, that gal gets mad quicker than swarm of wasps during tree-prunin' season._

_ _

Mr. McSibble, a badger and an unpleasant business rival, had also opted to try the new restaurant that night.Seated at a table next to theirs, he had lit up a cigar after supper and casually blew the noxious fumes in their direction.When asked to extinguish it, he had nonchalantly snuffed out the offensive object in the middle of Baloo's triple-scooped strawberry liqueur ice cream smoothy, melting the center with a loud, wet hiss.

Baloo was incensed; this fancy dessert was no Krakatoa Special, but a person just didn't do that to a poor, helpless dessert.Ever.So he stood up, backed up a few steps down a small aisle between the tables.Then, with a bellow, he charged into the startled Mr. McSibble, plowing them both into the hors d'oeuvres cart.Rebecca had watched the entire thing with openmouthed horror. 

But now it just seemed --- funny.She could never stay mad at Baloo for long.Baloo would never know that her threats were empty, that in a way, he had as much power over her emotions as she did over his future.It galled her to no end.It was better to keep him off balance, to make him wonder what she was capable of if he pushed his luck too far.But not tonight.

_My paperwork is caught up and we've got ten thousand shaboozies in the bank.Life is good.Baloo grinned at her mischievously and a reluctant smile tugged at her lips.__Oh, hell, she thought,__ not tonight.__It's been ages since I've gone out with a ma--she aborted the thought and revised it: __It's been ages since I've gone out for an evening.Satisfied, she relaxed into an easy stroll and fell in step with Baloo.It was a lovely starry night, Wildcat was babysitting Molly, so she was free to enjoy the company of adults for a change._

_Adults?No, she thought wryly, regarding Baloo's attire with mildly annoyed amusement, __but tonight I'll take what I can get. Baloo and fancy restaurants don't mix.You knew what could happen the minute you saw him in that get-up._

"Whoa, Becka--er--Rebecca," he said, slipping his arm comfortably around her shoulders."You're startin' ta have a good time."Absently, Rebecca let it stay; it was a familiar, almost brotherly gesture and she didn't mind.Rough around the edges Baloo may be, but at least he wasn't a wolf in bear's clothing.She could trust him.

Rebecca relaxed against him as they walked down the neon-lit sidewalk. "Yeah, well, maybe I am.So?"

"Well, you better be careful.Or someone might mistake us for friends."

Her voice softened."Maybe we are, a little...Baloo."

"Well, stranger things have happened, Rebecca..."

"Becky," she corrected him, smiling.The faint sound of voices reached them.They were approaching a small group of people talking animatedly to each other.

"Becky.Just think of it, you and me --- friends!We'd talk more, trust one another, help each other out, and stick together through thick and thin ---!"Suddenly, Baloo gasped and dashed forward --- and in doing so --- his arm resting across his boss' shoulders sent poor Rebecca spinning like a demented top on a freshly polished linoleum floor.

Finally, she staggered to a stop, holding her head to quell her dizziness. 

"B-Baloo?"She blinked, staring after him.

Baloo turned his head to call back excitedly, "A _movie, Becky!They're shootin' a movie!"He pushed through the throng of onlookers, earning several glares.Oblivious, he made his way to the front."Move it, folks...comin' through...__MEDIC!"_

Filming a movie was always a huge event, ever since the first talkie, _The Jazz Swinger.A visit from Starrywood was a taste of magic.Everyone on the set was hard at work, adjusting spotlights, adjusting a large, dimly lit street lamp, focusing cameras or memorizing their lines.It was a world far removed from the everyday one of Cape Suzette, with access granted only through the purchase of a movie ticket.The director, a short, portly platypus, watched the proceedings with a critical eye.Standing next to him was his assistant, a lanky gander, wore a large cylindrical megaphone strapped around his long neck.He seemed nervous and kept glancing at his boss every couple of seconds._

_Oh, boy, thought Baloo.__I hope they're doin' an airplane picture.Maybe Airol Flyin will be in it!_

The director suddenly grabbed the handle of the megaphone around the gander's neck, jerking it toward him like reins, nearly strangling him.A reverent silence fell over the crowd.He raised the mouthpiece to his beak and barked,"Quiet on the set...lights...cameras..._ACTION!" _

_ _

A crew member snapped a "Take seventeen!" clapboard shut. 

Then Baloo's heart skipped a beat.

Moving so fluidly that she seemed to float, a beautiful blonde feline emerged from the darkness and leaned gracefully against the set street lamp.She gazed out at the audience dreamily, with a small smile at no one in particular.Her long, blonde hair fell down her back in a smooth tumble. The numerous sequins of her indigo blue gown sparkled like a thousand stars; the fabric clung to her curvaceous figure as though painted on.Her gown was long-sleeved, high-necked yet daring, emphasizing every luscious curve and her skirt was slit high, displaying one long, shapely leg.She was the envy of every woman and the desire of every man present.And she knew it.

Baloo gazed at her longingly._Oh, baby, I musta died an' gone to Heaven 'cause I see an angel. _

Then her lips parted like two pale rose petals and, sirenlike, she began to croon in a husky, sultry alto:"La, la-la-laaa...la, la-la-laaa..."She began to stroll down the walk, still singing to herself.Her honeylike, dulcet tones soothed and teased, seeming to wrap themselves around Baloo's slowing brain (never quick to begin with), overwhelming all thoughts except, _Oh, man….He swallowed until his mouth went dry."Ohhh, Kitten-ka-boom!" he breathed aloud, "It's __Kitten Kaboodle!"He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the shoulders of a man and woman on either side of him and rubbed his face with both hands.It was the woman whose face was the last he saw at night (when he wasn't thinking about flying or enjoying a juicy hamburger).In his daydreams, Baloo would save the tightly bound Kitten from oncoming trains, buzzsaws, man-eating sharks, angry bosses...Baloo flew the Sea Duck above endless clouds, while the lovely Kitten kissed him between regular servings of hamburgers, fries, cookies, a Krakatoa Special with sprinkles.__Mmmm, sprinkles._

Directly over the actress's head, one of the overhead spotlights creaked loudly, then snapped!Kitten Kaboodle gasped, looked up and pointed.

"Oh, no!Another accident!"Her eyes widened with fear and she seemed rooted to the spot.

"I-I'll save ya, Miss Kaboodle!"People cast startled glances for the source of the rough voice.A big, burly bear broke their ranks, charged forward and dove into the obstacle's path!Kitten found herself scooped up and lifted out of harm's way.The heavy light struck Baloo squarely on the head. 

Still gazing adoringly at Kitten, he felt a dull thud on his tough skull, but no pain.

"Oh!My hero!" Kitten sighed as she raised a hand to her dainty brow, eyelashes fluttering.Then she swooned in Baloo's arms.Dazed, he couldn't have been happier than at that moment.

Suddenly, a swarm of photographers surrounded the two of them; an explosion of flashbulbs dazzled Baloo and bright spots danced before his eyes.Then they were gone in a cloud of dust.Disoriented, he shook his head to clear it and gently laid Kitten's unconscious form on the ground.Then a familiar female voice cut through his fuzzy thoughts and he winced at the sound.

"Baloo!Are you all right?"Becky had fought her way through the spectators and was at his side in an instant.She caught his shoulders."Speak to me --- say something!"

He blinked; his head felt like it had been rammed repeatedly into a stone wall.He peered at her blearily."Cowabunga!Did--did anybody get the license number of that piano?"

**.....**

When he came home at eleven that night, Baloo entered the bedroom, singing softly to himself"Dooby-dooby-dooby-doo-wah..."His head still throbbed, but Kitten's sultry voice made it a pleasant sensation. _My hero. My hero. My hero. He took an aspirin and flopped into bed, not bothering to change into his nightshirt.Kit was already in bed, reading his favorite flight manual.He looked up._

"So how was it?Didja have a good time?"

"Oh, yeah, great.Played football and saved her from a knock on the noggin." Baloo said dreamily.

"What?"Kit put down his book."Baloo, you're not making any sense.Football?"

"Sorry..." Baloo yawned mightily, exposing his back teeth."Big night with the most gorgeous gal in the world.Long story.Tell ya tomorrow."

"Wait!Does that mean that you and Ms. Cunningham...?" 

"Who?" was Baloo's sleepy reply before the rumbling, loud snores began.Sighing, Kit inserted his earplugs and clicked off the lamp.

**.....**

_Higher for Hire, Monday, 9:05 am..._

A very excited Kit Cloudkicker ran into the office, that morning's _Daily World tucked under his arm.The headlines screamed, __"Pilot Saves Movie Star!" and a large picture of Baloo, holding the swooning Kitten Kaboodle dominated the front page._

"Hey, did you see _this?" he shouted.Then he stopped short.No one was here.Piles and __piles of today's newspapers were stacked all over Rebecca's office; on her desk, the floor, and the chairs.Two stacks of papers toppled over the edge of the desk, revealing Rebecca, her expression that of puzzlement at being surrounded by a fortress.Kit was somewhat crestfallen. "Oh.I guess you already have."_

Wildcat walked in triumphantly, carrying _more newspapers. "Wow, I didn't even have to pay for these!I just found them lying on a bunch of doorsteps."Rebecca and Kit exchanged amused glances and Rebecca shrugged.Wildcat was...Wildcat.Kit grinned._

Baloo came in next, and it was obvious that he was still in high spirits from his brief brush with a certain glamorous movie queen."Hey-hey, Becky!Do ya think I could get these _bronzed?"He regarded his hands, the very ones that had held Kitten for an enchanted moment with wonder.He hadn't washed them since Saturday night._

Rebecca was disgusted."I'm gonna get your _head bronzed, Baloo, if you don't get to work."She shoved one pile of papers off her desk onto his hands. He staggered a little under the weight._

"Aw, yer just jealous 'cause ya didn't get _your picture in the paper."_

"I am not."

"You are, too," Baloo sang, leaning towards her, enjoying himself. _Sometimes I just can't help it.There were days when it was just plain fun to rile up ol' Beckers._

"Am not!"

"Are too!"Suddenly, the telephone rang loudly, unseen.Kit, who sat on one paper pile reading the article, finally found it on a neighboring pile, under the top page, and picked up the receiver.

"Higher for Hire...what?..._sure, we'll take the deal!" He hung up, excited once more. "Baloo, Tantamount Studios wants__ you to fly a big, important stunt in Miss Kaboodle's film!"_

Baloo couldn't believe it. "Wha-?_Yahooey!" he threw up his hands, tossing the newspapers he'd been holding into the air.They floated back down and a couple of pages landed on Rebecca's head."Starrywood!" he sang, "Hoo-hoo--and I'm gonna be with Kitten!"_

"You think maybe _I could get a part in a movie?" Kit asked eagerly._

"And I could see a _star?" Wildcat added.Baloo caught them both around the shoulders under his massive arm._

"Oh, you better believe it.In Starrywood, _anything's possible!"Baloo swept his other arm before them, in a 'can you see it now?' gesture.They could.The excitement was definitely catching._

"_Ahem," Rebecca cleared her throat loudly, halting their celebration.__Uh-oh, all three of her employees thought, their hearts sinking, __Here it comes._

"Since when do you accept a job without asking me--your _boss--first?"_

Baloo thought fast. "Oh, but you're comin' too!"Rebecca started to wave him off and push past him, but he suddenly let go of Kit and Wildcat and caught her up in his arms, lifting her off her feet to get her attention."Besides, I'm not askin' my _boss, I'm askin' my __friend."He chucked her under the chin playfully and set her down._

She felt a myriad of emotions---feeling strangely manipulated by flattery, but also...pleased.Damn the man, he knew how to be charming when he wanted to be and here she was, letting herself be charmed."Well...."

Kit spoke the magic words."They're paying _three big ones..." _

Rebecca brightened."When does he start?" Three thousand shaboozies.She could buy Molly piano lessons and a piano first, of course...renovate the office...hire a secretary...get her hair done...

The sharp_ honk! of a car outside interrupted her daydream.Baloo opened the front door and poked his head outside to see an elegant, sleek silver-gray limousine parked in front of Higher for Hire."Wow!Talk about service."_

The others eagerly followed and gaped in delighted awe at the gleaming vehicle, the magic carpet ride to Starrywood, the town of dreams.

**.....**

_Tantamount Studios, Starrywood_

The ride through Tantamount Studios was a bizarre, yet strangely entertaining one.They passed smoothly through the arches separating the real world from one that was manic.

They passed sets, witnessed a shoot-out between cops and gangsters with tommyguns.Like a traffic light changing from green to red, the hail of bullets (blanks) stopped suddenly to let the limousine pass, then, without missing a beat, resumed the make-believe carnage.

In the back seat, Kit peeked through the right-side rolled-down window past Baloo and caught his breath."Wow! Isn't that--?"

A half-dressed woman in curlers ran across the street, screaming.Chasing her were four odd-looking men, the leader chomping on a cigar and wriggling his eyebrows and bringing up the rear was a blond fellow with curly hair and long coat, honking a little horn.It was the hot new comedy team, the Narx Brothers. 

"Oh, yeah!It is, it is!"Baloo was thoroughly enjoying himself, recognizing actors as though they were old friends.

"And here's some of my favorite stars!"Two comical characters, one tall and thin, the other short and rotund, stepped off the curb into a puddle, and sank to the bottom, leaving two derbies floating on the surface.The only signs of Plural and Tardy were the air bubbles.

"My favorite star is the North Star," Wildcat confided.The limousine driver gunned the motor and they sped off with shrieking tires.

**.....**

Kitten Kaboodle, leading lady and glamour queen of the silver screen was a pirate today.Standing on a small rocking platform designed as the prow of a pirate ship, she gripped the wheel, pretending to guide her ship home.A prop man sloshed a bucket of water on the 'deck', simulating a 'storm'. The actress wore a very abbreviated costume, looking better than any buccaneer ever could: A low-cut white silk blouse was tied snugly in front and her black ragged shorts displayed her long, shapely legs to excellent advantage.Perched on her head at a rakish angle was a large black pirate hat, adorned with a "Jolly Roger" skull-and-crossbones motif.A well-behaved parrot perched upon her shoulder.

When the limousine finally parked in front of Kitten's set, Baloo jiggled the door handle impatiently.Rebecca, sitting at the far left, with Wildcat and Kit between them, couldn't see anything.She watched Baloo, somewhat amused at his eagerness to get started._That's the first time I've seen him so anxious to go to work.__This one-day job is definitely worth more than three thousand shaboozies.The slow-moving, slothful pilot was definitely not himself today. _

Kitten saw them and her lovely face lit up with pleasure.A bird-wrangler took the parrot; then Kitten abandoned the ship's wheel and made her way down the gangplank, her hips undulating enticingly. 

"Ho-ho, does she shiver my timbers!"Baloo said fervently_._

"Darling!" she drawled the endearment, so that it came out as "dah-ling".The driver depressed a button so that Baloo's door came unlocked.He tumbled out, followed by Kit and Wildcat.Rebecca started to emerge, only to find the door slammed rudely in her face!She started to protest, "Hey--!" and saw Kitten briefly through the window; the other woman's face was bland and innocent._Didn't she see me?_

Kitten Kaboodle was saying to Baloo, "I'd hoped you'd do the stunt, you big hunk of a bear!"Her drawling voice was husky and smooth, making Baloo's fur tingle.It was a foreign, yet not unwelcome feeling for him.He was not used to women, yet she made him feel kind of...manly.Up close, she was even more beautiful than on a remote flickering screen.Her long silky hair draped gracefully past her shoulders, dipping over her right eye in the latest 'peek-a-boo' style.Her sky-blue eyes absorbed him, gentle and sweetly alluring.Her lips were as pink as rose petals and perfectly shaped; they seemed to beg to be kissed.A tiny brown beauty mark on the left side of her chin accentuated her beauty. 

Giddy with awe, Baloo squirmed with embarrassed pleasure."Hubba-hubba!Show me where!"Laughing lightly, Kitten reached up and tweaked his nose with a little _honk!_

"Silly, " she said, "that's not till tomorrow.Let me give you a _personal tour of the studio first, hmmm?"Playfully she reached up and patted his cheeks.She held out her hand and dazed, he took it.Her elegant hand disappeared into his large, meaty one.A little thrill went through him at the contact.__Guess I can't wash my hand today either._

"Oh, solid!Delighted!"Still dazed, Baloo followed her happily off the pirate set, with Kit and Wildcat bringing up the rear.Something in Baloo's slow brain nagged at him, but he blissfully ignored it.It wasn't often that a beautiful woman showed interest in him._Am I forgettin' somethin'?.nah...._

"_Guys!Wait for me!"_

As the distance grew further between them, Rebecca continued to struggle with the locked car door._It was locked from outside and only the driver could deactivate it.He had seen the little group follow Kitten and relaxed in the knowledge that his job was done until the next one came.Rebecca rapped on the soundproof window dividing the front and back seats__, yelled until she was hoarse but to no avail.Then she noticed that the side door window was still partly open, just enough to admit her slender frame.Grunting, she managed to wriggle through, lost her balance and fell flat on her posterior._

Swearing softly, Rebecca rubbed her backside to numb the pain and started to walk.She could still catch up if she hurried...

"Excuse me, miss, you forgot to tip," a soft, pleasant voice startled her.The limousine driver, a monkey with large, jug-like ears and heavy-lidded eyes put out a hand, an obvious hint.

Rebecca thought, _oh, well.When in Rome... She quickly fished around in her hip pocket for a tip.__Nuts."Can you break a ten?"_

"Frankly, my dear...I don't have a dime," the monkey driver told her.Grumbling, she handed the bill over and hurried away, muttering under her breath.

Kitten drove the caddie, pointing out different parts of Tantamount Studios, a pirate queen playing tour guide.Baloo sat next to her in the front.Wildcat and Kit managed to squeeze into the back.She drove quickly and expertly, maneuvering several sharp turns around crates, sets and passing crew members.Actually, she drove a little _too fast, just out of Rebecca's reach as she ran to catch up.She seemed oblivious to the other woman's faint calls to please wait. _

Wheezing, lungs on fire, Rebecca continued to chase the elusive speeding cart.She imagined that she saw Kitten take a quick glance in her direction but that was all."BALOO!Here I am, guys!BALOOOO!" Her normally clear, crisp voice was spent, could not compete with the _vroom! motor noise of the caddie.At last she slowed to a walk and gave up.Then: __Did I hear something?It sounded like a groan, coming closer...._

"...and over here is where we build sets for my _fabulous movies, " she could hear Kitten telling her little tour group a few feet away, when she again caught up._

Rebecca caught a glance of the retreating wheels of the caddie just before it rounded another pile of crates."Here I am!Baloo--!"Suddenly, a big bandaged _thing staggered in front of her, cutting her off and she yelped in surprise.Then she relaxed. It was only a harried-looking elephant, his pudgy features almost completely hidden by clumsy, unraveling bandages and even a plaster cast."Oh!You scared me with that mummy costume.Are you doing a horror film?"The elephant looked at her as if she was insane._

"Costume!Mummy!" he cried indignantly, as though she should know who he was. "I'm the _cameraman of the Kitten Kaboodle flick.Every ten minutes---something goes blooey!" his voice broke and to Rebecca's astonishment, he began to cry!A large wooden set of a hotel front creaked nearby; but both were too distracted to notice._

Rebecca laughed kindly, "You show business types are so dramatic.I'm sure accidents just...!"

_Crash!The wooden structure suddenly swayed and fell on top of them!Coughing from the cloud of dust rising from the impact, Rebecca managed to step aside so that she was standing in the middle of the square hole "window" cut out of the set .Unhurt, she looked for the cameraman.A painful moan came from underneath the debris.He was sore but alive._

"...happen." Rebecca finished lamely.

The flustered businesswoman frowned.Suddenly, she was blinded by flashbulbs. The same aggressive group of newshounds from the scene of Baloo's 'rescue' of Kitten Kaboodle, ever attuned to scandal and public suffering, fired their shutters at her and the poor cameraman, then dashed off for their next scoop.Rubbing her eyes, Rebecca looked around in bewilderment."Then again...?"

**.....**

Baloo sat in a folding chair, doing his favorite thing, relaxing.

"BALOO!"

Startled, Baloo found himself face-to-face with a panting, red-faced boss."Well, Becky, where ya been?" he asked genially._Just ol' Beckers, he thought. _

"Where _haven't I been?" she snapped. "I thought friends were supposed to stick together!"__That man has the attention span of a fruit fly._

"_MAKE-UP!"Without warning, a gravel-voiced make-up assistant drew back his arm and hit Baloo, full force with a giant powder puff, emitting gritty powder which drifted over Rebecca as well, who began to cough, her eyes and throat itching.A backdrop of igloos and a snowy landscape magically dropped behind them.Rebecca moved to the side to avoid being in the shot._

"Kiki wanted me to take some publicity shots," Baloo said._Oh boy, she thought,__ he's got the same look he gets when Louie has that Two-for-One Krakatoa Special on the menu._

She raised a cynical eyebrow."_Kiki?"_

"You know._Kitten," he explained, as though to a slightly backward child.She didn't like the way this was headed.What in the world was so fascinating about that rude, flashy blonde?__I bet she dyes it.Why on earth was she taking such a shine to Baloo, who was someone who was, say, a person one had to get used to?He shouldn't be interested in such a woman.Why was he acting like such a ninny over someone like that?__Typical man, she thought sourly, and stopped._

"Ready, Mr. Baloo?He assumed what he considered to be a heroic pose. "_Smile!"_

_Every ten minutes...something goes blooey.The cameraman and the near miss with the falling hotel set.She had to tell him._

"Never mind that, Baloo!Something weird is going on around here."

He started to ask what, when a sexy female voice interrupted them.

"Oh, Baloo!" Kitten smoothly moved in front of Rebecca, accidentally-on-purpose giving her a hard, vicious nudge with her hip, knocking her off-balance.Rebecca tottered on her heels, trying to stay upright.She fell and found herself sitting on the floor.Again, Kitten ignored Rebecca and batted her baby blues at Baloo, the idiot.

_ _

"Just in time for a little lunchie," Kitten cooed, as she caught Baloo's hand again and led him outside to another waiting limousine. "Caio!" she called gaily over her shoulder.Baloo followed like an obedient puppy.

"Ya hear that, Becky?We're gonna chow!"

Rebecca stood up. "Good!That'll give me time to tell you about the accidents that--!"

"I'm sorry," Kitten poked her pretty blonde head out the back window and said with obvious regret, "but this is a _private lunch."She rolled up the window, leaving Rebecca staring back at a square of opaque glass before the silver car roared off, leaving her choking on thick exhaust fumes.__My lungs are going to be black tomorrow._

"Hey, how do I look, Miz Cunningham?"A strange, very short gangster with Kit's voice approached her.She stared. The glossy brown hair was obviously a wig and his handlebar mustache was much too big for his face.It was Kit, dressed to kill.He was bristling with a restless energy, eager to be somewhere else.Normally Rebecca would make a comment, but now wasn't the time.

"Listen, Kit.I've got to talk to you about---!"

"Gee, sorry, Miz Cunningham, but I'm on my way to an audition." Kit apologized, not listening. "Maybe Wildcat can help."He hurried away.

"Wait!" she shouted after him. "Where _is Wildcat?"_

"Stargazing!" he answered, before turning a corner and disappearing into a building.

Before she could digest this, Wildcat suddenly appeared in front of her, frantically waving a large butterfly net and weaving around passing celebrities on their way to work.They easily eluded his net and he was getting frustrated, which was a rare thing.Usually so sweet-natured and unflappable, Wildcat now showed signs of breaking the pattern.

"I can't get one star to stay _still long enough!" he complained._

**.....**

Outside stood a cityscape set.One-dimensional hollow buildings such as hotels, office buildings and restaurants dotted the lot.Near the animation studio, Rebecca sat at a concession stand, absently stirring her coffee.She was almost used to the insane pace around her. In yet another take, the Narx Brothers chased that shrieking ninny all over the lot.A couple of thespians in Renaissance garb ran through their lines over sandwiches and coffee.Lack of tables and chairs forced them to improvise, using a large overturned crate as a makeshift table and two smaller boxes as chairs.

"Baloo's some friend," mumbled Rebecca."Something fishy's going on and he won't even listen."She felt hot, tired and depressed.All her friends had deserted her, leaving her alone in this strange place, surrounding by lunatics in Halloween costumes.

Her self-pity was interrupted by a sudden scream from above!

Rebecca whipped her neck around and upwards to look: A broken railing, followed by a blur of gray suit and feathers descended from the top floor of one of the "office buildings" at heart-stopping speed.

The Renaissance couple glanced up from their sandwiches, unimpressed.The woman was exasperated."Not _another accident!We'd better move."They rose in concert, taking their lunch with them just before the falling man hit.__Crash!_

Before she could register the sight, or even cover her eyes, he slammed headfirst into the vacated crates, sending wooden slats and splinters flying in all directions.When the dust cleared, Rebecca looked around.No one seemed concerned.They continued on their business, as though this was a common occurrence.It was probably a stunt, like the rest of the antics around here.

She stood up and rushed to the scene.A meek-looking turkey lay in the ruins, stunned and moaning with pain.His cheap gray business suit was shredded, his toupee askew and black horn-rimmed glasses hanging on one ear.Other than that, he was alive and sore.Rebecca shook her head disapprovingly.Actors!

"That was _very dangerous!" she chided him. "Maybe you should think twice about being a stuntman."_

The turkey stood up cautiously, balancing his weight.Adjusting his orange mop-like toupee on his head, he tried to straighten his spectacles.They made a sickening cracking sound, then hard little pebbles of glass sprinkled from the frames, landing on the ground.He stared at her, incredulous at her apparent naivete.

"Stuntman?Lady, I'm just the _accountant for the Kitten Kaboodle film," he exploded. "I'd be crazy to be a stuntman on this movie.Oh, I sure pity the poor bozo who's flying the big important, final stunt---he's sure to be a goner!"Rebecca could only stare after him as he limped away, trying in vain to fit the two halves of his glasses together._

_Oh no! her mind screamed.__ That's the stunt Baloo's doing!_

**.....**

After asking around, ten minutes later Rebecca managed to find out where Kitten Kaboodle had taken Baloo.She scanned the names of the buildings, finally seeing the ornately scrolled _La Rotune Restaurant.__I've got to warn him, she thought.__Oh, Baloo, trouble just follows you everywhere!_

She watched and followed at a short distance; an actress, a voluptuous, heavy sow sauntered down the blossom-lined walk through the front doors, swinging a little parasol.It was Mae Chest, the controversially risque actress from "My Little Piggledee", and "I'm No Cherub".Next to Kitten Kaboodle, she was considered one of the most powerful actresses in Starrywood.

At the hat-check booth, the bored maitre d', an obese but well-tailored hippo, perked up and hurried from his post to greet her. 

"How _nice to see you again!"Sweating and smiling so widely that his back teeth were visible, he was not merely hospitable, not downright unctuous, oozing good will.Rebecca grimaced with distaste, then smiled approvingly as Miss Chest ignored his chatter and tossed her white mink stole from her shoulders, where it landed carelessly on his head._

Unfazed, the maitre d' took it off and hung it lovingly on one of the branches of an iron coat-rack next to the door.Apparently, this sort of treatment was acceptable and even cherished."and have a pleasant lunch!" he added.

_My turn, Rebecca thought; she saw Baloo and Kitten sitting at a table several feet away, partially concealed by large ferns.He was seated with his back to her, eating a generous plate of spaghetti.A basket holding a long loaf of French bread sat in the middle.Kitten had a glass of white wine in front of her.They were talking but she couldn't hear a thing.She marched boldly forward, past the hippo but wasn't quick enough.He caught her shoulders, lifting her and planting her firmly in front of him._

"Yyyessss?"Another horribly arch smile nearly split his face as he drew out the word for effect.

Rebecca shook him off, annoyed at the delay.Didn't he know she had to hurry?Her next words were rushed:"I'vegottotellmyfriendaboutianaccidentthathasn'thappenedyetbutprobablywillifIdon'tget

tohimfirsttowarnhim!" She panted, barely finishing the sentence without passing out from lack of air.

The maitre d' waved his hand impatiently, dismissing her."Fine, fine.Are you a movie star?"

"_Movie star?What does that have to do with it?" she said indignantly, too disgusted by this idiot to bother justifying herself to him any longer.Baloo needed her!She took two steps forward before his unpleasant singsongy voice assaulted her ears and a heavy hand clasped her shoulder._

"_Brutus!"_

A hulking, homely gorilla suddenly materialized before them.He regarded her stolidly, with hard piggy eyes and, in a businesslike fashion, began to roll up his sleeves.His forearms bulged with fat, hair and muscle.

"We only serve movie stars," the hippo said primly.Before Rebecca could wonder why he didn't recognize a celebrity without asking, she saw the huge, hairy-knuckled paws of Brutus reach for her.

Too furious to be frightened, Rebecca jabbed his nose with her finger, startling him.He winced and rubbed his nose, staring at her with surprise."Hold your bananas, buster!" she hissed at him, "I can find my own way out! Hmmph!"Then she pivoted and stalked out the door, slamming it.

She waited a moment, then cracked the door open, and carefully peeked through the sliver of space.Brutus was gone, leaving the maitre d' alone, writing in the reservation book.She spotted Mae Chest's discarded fur stole, still hanging on the coat-rack.

_Plan B, she thought slyly.She tugged the garment free, wrapping it around herself, feeling a guilty pleasure as the cool softness caressed her face.__Show your stuff, she commanded herself._

The hippo beamed at the graceful, haughty young starlet approaching.He wondered who she was.Her face seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.There were so _many celebrities who passed that very spot that he had trouble keeping these famous people straight.But it stood to reason: Anyone who dressed so elegantly and moved with such confidence had to be a movie star in this town.Who else would dare to march past him with such poise and quiet arrogance?They ruled Starrywood and he was their faithful servant._

"How _nice to see you again," he said automatically, as she carelessly tossed the fur stole to him.This time he caught it before it could land on his head. _

Rebecca crouched and waddled, stealthily making her way toward Baloo and Kitten.Keeping her head low, she staked out a spot behind the thick foliage, behind Baloo.Through the leaves, she could see Kitten smiling and nodding animatedly, apparently enjoying the big bear's company.Kitten wasn't eating but she did take the occasional dainty sip of white wine.Rebecca could hear Baloo noisily wolfing down his food, and smirked.If she were sharing his table, she would have died of embarrassment at his bad table manners.Now, though, she was perversely glad that Kitten had to suffer._I wonder if he'll tackle someone in this__ restaurant.That'll show 'Kiki' __for sure!_

She heard Kitten say,"So, darling...about this...Rebecca?"There was a hint of distaste, the way she spoke Rebecca's name, as though it smelled.Smug smile disappearing, the businesswoman strained to hear better, ignoring the leaves tickling her face.

"Rebecca?Rebecca who?" Baloo twirled some noodles around the tines of his fork with expertise, then they disappeared into his mouth with a satisfied slurp.Rebecca winced, mentally picturing it.

Kitten laughed softly, the sound of tinkling bells.She leaned, one elbow on the table, genuinely amused.Her lips parted in a sweet smile, showing tiny, perfectly white teeth.

"Dahh-ling!Your humor is so...humorous," she said at last."You know.Rebecca...your..._girlfriend?" _

_Are you kidding?Her brain shrieked in outrage.Then:__Well, __I suppose it's a natural mistake.Her seeing us together and all._

Baloo stopped eating."_Girlfriend?" he said incredulously. "Oh no, she's just my boss."_

Rebecca's head began to ring.Baloo's voice: _Well, you'd better be careful.Or someone might mistake us for friends.Maybe we are, a little...Baloo.Rebecca remembered his arm slung around her shoulders, the pleasant weight of it, making her feel safe, protected..._

_We'd talk more...trust one another...help each other out...stick together through thick and thin...Then he ran to see Kitten, leaving her reeling on the sidewalk.... ___

_Besides, I'm not askin' my boss, I'm askin' my friend.She had felt a strange warmth then, when he had included her.Then: __Just my boss. Just my boss. He didn't mean it, she thought bitterly, __he just wanted to go to Starrywood and got his way by sweet-talking me---as usual.He wanted to be with Kitten.Something exploded in Rebecca's brain, obliterating all reason.There was a stinging sensation behind her eyes, but she was too enraged to cry.She stood up, roughly knocking the ferns over, scattering dirt everywhere._

"_Just your BOSS?!Why, you---!" Rebecca roared.Grabbing Baloo's dinner plate, she viciously flipped it, dumping a warm mess of limp noodles and spaghetti sauce over his head!Kitten blinked and watched the commotion with bright interest.Well, well---drama just seemed to follow her whenever she went.She leaned one elbow on the table, obviously entertained by Rebecca's outburst._

Baloo sat stunned, dripping in oozing pasta._Where'd Becky come from?Why's she so all-fired steamed?_

"Becky!" he protested, too surprised to be angry, or even to wipe his face. "What are ya doin'?"

She growled deep in her throat.He had no clue, _no idea!She spotted the loaf of French bread and picked it up, hoisting it like a baseball bat over her head.Other diners watched the crazy woman, enjoying the show._

The words came rushing forth."Friends are supposed to help each other, remember? So I'm _helping you!" she snarled.Swiftly, she swung it down hard, connecting with his skull.Too late, Baloo ducked and crossed his arms over his head, trying to shield it.It didn't hurt, but man, it sure didn't stop either!Crumbs flying, she rained blow and blow with relentless fury and kept whacking until someone grabbed her roughly from behind.Powerful arms wrapped themselves around her in a steely grip, wrenching her off her feet. _

Brutus held her, stifling her struggles, turning so that she faced the officious maitre d'.The hippo looked down at her, his expression that of one who sees a worm in his salad.Brutus's piggy eyes narrowed.Oh yes, he was going to enjoy this.

"You again!" the maitre d' spat.He jerked his thumb at the gorilla, a definite signal to let the games begin."_Get rid of her."_

##### **End of Part One**

** **

[Back to TaleSpin Fiction Page][1]

[A Star is Torn, Part 2][2]

   [1]: gidgets_fanfics.html
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	2. A Star is Torn, Part 2 of 3

__

___A STAR IS TORN  
(Part 2 of 3)  
__ _

_Tale Spin and its characters are the property of Buena Vista Television/Walt Disney Co.This short story was adapted from the televised episode written by Dev Ross.No profit was made, so please don't sue me.Some extra parts were written and minor changes were made in order to improve the narrative flow for the written page. I would also like to thank my good pal Ted for his invaluable feedback and advice._

**_by Michelle "Gidget" Beaubien_**

Rebecca found herself hurled through the doors of La Rotune Restaurant, landing hard on the sidewalk.She shook the loaf like a long fist.

"I wasn't hungry anyway!" she yelled at the closed doors.Painfully, she tried to stand. _Three thousand shaboozies?__All I'm getting is bruises from this place._

Meanwhile, back inside, Baloo was reluctantly excusing himself from the table.

"I'd better see if she's okay, Kiki," The pilot apologized. "I'm real sorry about all this.I just can't seem to take her _anywhere."_

Kitten smiled. "_Perfectly understandable.I'll give you a couple of minutes to smooth things over, then I'll meet __you outside…Baby Bear."_

_Hot diggity --- I'm her baby bear!_

He hurried outside, not bothering to wipe off all the spaghetti.He cut a comical figure but didn't care._As soon as I check on Becky, I can go back to Kiki._

Rebecca was brushing her pants off when he found her."Becky, what gives?It's _my job to embarrass us, not yours," he chided._

She glared at him fiercely."You said we were friends.Why did you tell Kitten we weren't?"

"Now, Becky, we _are friends," he tried to soothe her.Then a ludicrous yet disquieting thought rippled through the quiet pool of his brain."Wait a minute!You're not jealous of her, are ya?__Aw, that's just perfect. That's all I need.  
  
_

"Jealous!" she shot back, outraged. "Of an empty-headed bombshell with a body that can stop a moose at fifty paces?Hmmph!"Rebecca turned away from him, folding her arms._I'd like to see that phony blonde pregnant with twins, no-- the Peon Quints…and bald. Definitely bald._

"Good!" Baloo was relieved."I only said those things 'cause stars are so sensitive...you know."He took her arm and guided her to a nearby bench in the outdoor patio of La Rotune Restaurant.They sat and he added, "_You're such a bright, capable woman."_

"True," she agreed, somewhat mollified. "Kitten might feel a _little inadequate around me." _

"Right!And if she got upset, she might fire me from the stunt."He fought the urge to knock on wood---or in this case, rap his knuckles on the bench's wooden slats.No more Kiki, ---it was a terrible thought.Beautiful women were almost never interested in ol' Baloo.All he got were lady hippos."Broadcast Sally", his last date from a few months ago, was a sweet gal with a silky voice but a big crush on him._Yeah, she nearly crushed me ta death, carryin' me off the docks when we got back from Thembria.That Cleanser's Comet mess was not an experience he wanted to repeat.And Plane Jane was another great gal, though she looked a lot better with a veil over her face._

Suddenly, Rebecca remembered and started to stand up.Like a seesaw, Baloo's considerable weight brought his side of the bench down with a 'whump'.He lost his balance and landed on his back, and she landed on his soft stomach, accidentally flipping the end of his long tie across his nose, landing in a heap.

"The stunt!Baloo, you've got to quit immediately.All kinds of terrible accidents have been happening---it's as if someone is trying to sabotage the film!"

"Accidents?Sabotage?Two of my least favorite words!"They got up and Baloo grabbed her hand."Come on, pal, we gotta talk to---" 

"Oh, Balooey?Here I am," A sexy, velvety voice interrupted them.All thoughts of imminent danger dissolved and the big bear's brain seemed soft, like it was full of pudding.His eyes glazed over and a foolish grin spread over his face and his tongue rolled out.He was again under her spell._Kiki, you came back for me…._

_Oh no, Rebecca groaned inwardly.Before she could elaborate, Kitten had somehow slipped between them and with one shapely, hard hip, bumped her hard, sending her into some bushes lining the walk.__That rotten little floozy did that on purpose!There was no longer any doubt in Rebecca's mind that Kitten hated other females._

Kitten playfully chucked Baloo under the chin and patted his face, cooing in the lisping, doting tones one reserved for a spoiled pet."Kiki's got a big surprise for her baby bear, " she purred.

_Baby bear? I'm going to be sick.Rebecca glowered at the other woman, trying to imagine her with leprosy.Baloo squirmed with boyish embarrassment, blushing and forgetting to roll his tongue back into his mouth.Catching the end of his tie and pulling it like a leash, Kitten gently pulled him behind her and briskly signaled a Starrywood cab, which immediately screeched to a stop at the curb._

_Kiki. Kiki.Big surprise. I'm her baby bear, Baloo sighed._

Aloud, he said absently, "Well...see ya around, Becky.Thanks…let's do lunch."He crawled into the back seat after the actress, shutting the door in Rebecca's face.The cab roared away, leaving her standing in the middle of the street

She shouted after the shrinking vehicle, "Baloo!You're acting like a complete idiot, even for you!"_ Well, if he won't do something about this, I will.I'm going to get to the bottom of this accident business._

**.....**

She returned to the studio and managed to find the director's office, where the platypus and his gander assistant were having a hushed conversation.The door was ajar, so Rebecca put her ear to it and peered through the small opening.

"I feel terrible about these accidents, Montgomery, but the public _loves the intrigue," C.B. was saying earnestly."It's guaranteed big box office success.Perhaps I'll win my Oscar at last!"_

Rebecca's mouth fell open."_He's the one causing the accidents? Wha--!" She was so surprised that she tilted too far, and fell into the room in a heap. __Uh-oh._

CB didn't bat an eyelash. He bent and with warm, sweaty hands, helped her up."Ah, the actress I sent for." 

Rebecca was outraged.She advanced on him, and grabbed the lapels of his cheap polyester shirt."So!Sabotaging your own film.Admit it now, and _maybe the police will go easy on you."_

Good-naturedly, he detached himself and waved her off. "No need to audition, young lady.You've already got the part."He turned, seized the megaphone hanging on an elastic cord from his assistant's long neck and shouted into it, rustling the feathers of its owner."_Montgomery!Get her into costume immediately."_

"You won't get away with this!" she yelled, "Causing accidents is against the la--!"

Montgomery took firm hold of the ranting woman's elbow and firmly marched her out of the office, en route to the wardrobe department.C.B. continued to hold the handle of the megaphone, forgetting that Montgomery was still wearing it.

"Actresses are so temperamental.Sheesh!" He spread his hands in a 'why me?' gesture, releasing the megaphone, now stretched taut.Like a slingshot, it snapped through the doorway back to Montgomery, knocking both him and Rebecca down with a crash.

**.....**

# Rebecca found herself spirited away by a couple of wardrobe mistresses, stripped of her street clothes and quickly fitted into a fake leopard print loin cloth; the snug cloth clung in all the right places.The alluring fit suited her very well.She looked like Jane of the Tartar movies.Except she was not to be the love interest of a sweaty jungle hero, but of a mechanical gorilla.She was on the set of Ding Dong, to be exact. 

# 

# The giant simian was built in two units: The fearsome, snarling head of the beast had a huge, hinged jaw, and was rigged to snap open and shut.Rebecca, squirming 'on her mark', was clamped in a "fist" on a wheeled platform, lined on train tracks.When two technicians pushed the platform toward the snapping jaws, filmed in a few takes, it would appear as though the beast was bringing the struggling woman closer to its mouth.The polished sheet metal teeth were as sharp as needles.Every precaution was taken to ensure that in the first take, the fist platform would stop before brutal contact could be made.State-of-the-art special effects were tricky, the director knew---but the expense was well worth it."Action!" C.B. yelled. The man at the control box flipped up two levers and the heavy platform began to roll glide smoothly along the tracks.The other techs activated Ding Dong's jaws.They creaked open and slammed shut.Opened wider.Slammed shut.The incisors gleamed wickedly.

# 

# "You'll _never get away with this---!" The 'damsel-in-distress' continued her tirade, her voice penetrating the back of the set._

# 

# "Hey, just stick to the script, okay?" was the only answer she got.A metallic _ping interrupted her and she paused.A screw popped loose, then another. _

# Rebecca began to scream.Those points of shiny metal slammed together with the inexorable finality of a guillotine._I'm going to die, she thought wildly.__Oh, dear God, Molly! _

# 

# "The girl's a natural!" C.B. told Montgomery excitedly.That gold statuette was as good as in his sweaty hands right now.

# 

# Then Rebecca felt a slight change in the momentum.The platform's speed was accelerating.C.B. finally noticed that something was wrong. "Cut!" he shouted.

# The man at the controls gripped both levers, tried to yank them down in the 'off' position.They would not budge. The crew began to shout at each other, others stared in mute horror. 

# 

# Kit walked by, attired in cowboy duds, boots, and hat.During this entire morning, he'd tried auditioning as a gangster, a saloonkeeper, a sailor, and even a _pilot, which really hurt.This time, he'd gotten tangled in the rope when told to lasso a stunt man._

# 

# "Boy," he said sourly, looking up at the commotion."How'd _she get a part?"It just wasn't fair.He continued to walk past them until he was finally out of earshot._

# 

# "I said CUT!" C.B. bellowed.

# 

# Why do I always have to…" The platypus grabbed the megaphone, stretched it from the gander's neck and bellowed into it, making the assistant lose a few feathers, "…_repeat myself?I said CUT!"_

# 

# Wires stretched taut, then snapped, the swinging wildly around the crew's heads, narrowly missing them.C.B. ran to the front, arms outstretched, and tried to hold onto the gorilla's massive fist to ward it off, but the momentum would not let up, forced him backwards, his feet pedaling frantically to avoid being run over.

# 

# "Please!" he begged, "pleasepleaseplease…!"

# 

# The wheels of the 'fist' platform squealed, emitting tiny sparks as it reached the end of the line. Like a felled tree, the fist tipped forward, losing its iron-grip on the leading lady.Rebecca would either fall, smashing into the pavement below or be bitten in half.She stared into the thing's shark-like mouth and prayed that the end would be mercifully quick.

# 

# Arms flailing, she was sailing in mid-air, and managed to grab the edge of the Ding Dong's rubbery lip._Crash! The structure that held her in its precarious grip was now a twisted maze of broken wooden planks, metal and sizzling electric sparks. _

# 

# A small wooden plank bonked C.B. on the head, but otherwise, no one else was hurt.

# 

# "Do ya want another take, C.B.? Do ya? Do ya?" Montgomery asked his boss excitedly, as the director sat up, moaning and rubbing his head.Rebecca managed to climb down the monster's face, hand-over-hand, using clumps of its hairy face as hand holds, and climbed down the hairy arm until her feet touched the ground.Something black dashed from behind the gorilla head, disappearing out the door in a blur of motion.Rebecca blinked.

# 

# "Hey!Over there--!"She pointed, but the thing vanished. _Gee, maybe the director wasn't the one causing the accidents…Rebecca was looking over her shoulder where the mysterious figure had been standing as she walked away, distracted by her thoughts…and bumped into something big and soft.It was Baloo, holding a bunch of dainty pink posies, which looked ridiculously perky in his massive fist._

# 

# "Beck!You're crushin' the flowers I got for Kiki." He patted and straightened them back into shape.He did not notice her loincloth costume.

# 

# Rebecca said impatiently, "Baloo, look.Whoever that mysterious figure was is causing the accidents."He looked at her blankly.

# 

# "Accidents?" Then he got it. "Oh yeah, right --- the accidents!Come on, pal, we'd better go find---!"

# 

# "Balooey?Here I am," A familiar female voice purred. Baloo's foolish, besotted expression returned; Rebecca grimaced and moved away from Kitten, jockeying for a position on Baloo's right.Kitten stood at his left side, and noticed the flowers. 

# 

# "For _me?" She accepted the flowers, smiling. "Come, Poopsie.Kiki's going to take her baby bear out for a final __fabulous meal before he flies his big important stunt." She took his arm and led him away, slyly glancing at Rebecca.It was that smug look at galvanized Rebecca into rushing forward and grabbing the pilot's other arm, trying to hold him back. _

# 

# "Baloo, you can't go!You have to listen to me!" 

# 

# "Hey, simmer down, we can talk later." Baloo gently detached himself from her frantic grip.

# 

# "Later?You might not _have a later!" she shouted after him._

# 

# To Kitten, he apologized, "You'll have to excuse her.She skipped lunch." Kitten smiled understandingly and gave his arm a squeeze. 

# 

# "Fine, Baloo.Don't listen to me." Rebecca stalked to the wardrobe department to change into her street clothes._But someone is causing these accidents, and I'm going to find out who it is…_

# _ _

# Rebecca found the stunt plane outside in an airfield set, climbed up and sat in the open cockpit, making herself comfortable_…even if I have to guard your stunt plane all night!I'm doing this for you, Baloo.Wherever you are._

**…..**

# _ _

# _ _

# At the Rotune Restaurant, Baloo and Kitten were talking and laughing, completely ignoring the world around them.Kitten laughed at his corny jokes and made him feel special, like they were the only people in the room.He didn't want the feeling to end.Finally, during dessert, Kitten rose gracefully from the booth, smoothing the creases out of her long white dress. 

# 

# "Excuse me for a moment, Sugar Loaf.I'm going to go freshen up." 

# 

# Baloo waved her away genially. "Of course, take yer time." 

# 

# **…..**

# 

# A black-cloaked figure stole slid along the walls of the building near the stunt plane.He was covered from head to toe in a long, wraithlike black sheet, like the Dickens' hellish Ghost of Christmas Future.Rebecca curled up in the cockpit, dozing.She stirred a little, but remained asleep.He silently padded to the back of the plane, opened a panel and, with a wrench, dismantled a small metal, cog- toothed gear.His gloves made the task difficult, and he clumsily dropped the piece.It landed on the ground with a loud metallic _clang! Rebecca's eyes flew open and she sat up fast, breathing hard."W-what?"She looked around wildly, then her attention was arrested, riveted on the menacing figure below.He looked up, startled.All that were visible were two white slits for the eyes.He dropped the wrench, picked up the hem of his robe and took flight and disappeared through the emergency exit of the set building. _

# 

# _He's tampering with the plane! "Hey! You!"she yelled, slinging one leg, then the other over the lip of the cockpit and jumping to the ground.She felt the shock sing through her legs, and grimly absorbed it, wincing with pain._

# 

# "Come back here, you…you…_Starrywood saboteur!" Then, wisely deciding not to waste her breath, Rebecca grimly pursued her quarry into the building then gave the interior a desperate glance.She heard loud footfalls---the mysterious figure rushed up a flight of stairs.When Rebecca followed, she found herself surrounded by a bunch of paper mache buildings no taller than her waist. It was the Ding Dong set, complete with a miniature city for the monster to stomp through and wreak terror and destruction.The black-robed figure brushed the fragile buildings, knocking most of them over with a clatter.Rebecca nearly tripped over the structures, picking her way quickly through the mess and continued the chase._

# 

# Ahead, the saboteur glanced in her direction---then spied several pairs of stilts leaning against a wall, in case technicians working on the elevated 'city' structure needed to move around the set without the added nuisance of retracing their steps all the way back to the staircase. He lost no time in hoisting himself onto a pair and hurriedly tottered away.The determined businesswoman grabbed another pair of stilts and stiffly followed.She heard the frightened squeak of a mouse as it ran for cover, grunts and yelps of pain below and almost tripped over two actors: A lady hippo and her stork husband, lounged on a sandy beach set, pretending to enjoy the imitation sunshine beaming from the hot overhead lights. 

# 

# Ropes weighted down by sandbags on pulleys hung from the rafters like twisted jungle vines. The robed figure tottered over to a sandbag, and wrapped his body around it and stepped off the stilts, where they tipped over and landed on the couple below.The ropes spun through the whirring pulley wheels as his weight sent him to the ground.As he landed, the aardvark tech that was holding on to the other end of the rope shot upward like a rocket.Rebecca wrapped her body around the startled man, dropped her stilts and their combined weights, in two stomach-turning seconds, sent them plummeting to the ground—fortunately they landed on their feet.

# 

# Ahead of the robed figure was a huge black wall.Rebecca picked up speed, shortening the distance between them._Yes!Rebecca thought triumphantly.__I've got you now!The triumph turned into dumbfounded amazement when he didn't slow down, didn't stop.He kept a straight course toward the black wall. _

# 

# On the other side of the wall, a night-lit graveyard was being haunted. It was amass with grave markers, dying flowers and freshly dug loam.Out of the shadows cast by tombstones, an actor in a ghost costume leapt forward, moaning hideously---and was rudely interrupted.He shrieked with surprise as a strange black ghost-_thing suddenly burst __through the graveyard backdrop, leaving a large ragged hole; it shouldered him roughly aside, and he tumbled backwards onto a grave, into the dirt._

# 

# _A backdrop! Rebecca gritted her teeth and ran through the hole, past a ghost trying to assess his filthy sheet._

# 

# Dismayed, he moaned, "I'll _never get these stains out,"_

# 

# Several wheeled flights of stairs leading up wooden scaffolds seemed to mingle into each other.She heard footfalls—saw a flash of black cloth above her on a catwalk._There!Rebecca raced up three flights of wooden steps, only to bump into a door. She turned and saw him again, standing across from her on a similar scaffold ---the two structures were separated by several feet of huge, dizzying open space.She looked down past the floor of the scaffold on which she stood and color drained from her face. From where she stood on the wobbling set, the ground was easily a hundred-foot drop._

# 

# _Don't look down, she ordered herself.She backed away a few steps, took a deep breath.Arms outstretched, she ran forward…and jumped._

# 

# Rebecca sailed over the open chasm and got a frightening glimpse of tiny people scurrying around like ants.The edge of the scaffold ahead seemed further away than she thought…then her hands slammed into the hard wood, and agony sang through her palms.Without thinking, Rebecca called up every ounce of flagging strength in her aching body and hoisted herself up, rolling onto the platform, panting. Her palms absolutely _stung, burning with raw scrapes and splinters.__I did it. I don't know how, but I did it!_

# 

# Rebecca ignored her stinging hands and got to her feet once more.A good businesswoman never quit.

# 

# She saw him head for the exit. Adrenaline seemed to fill every pocket of her body until it overflowed.She gritted her teeth, shot forward in an extra burst of speed.And hurled herself in a flying tackle, landing on top of her tormentor with a resounding crash.Her prisoner flailed at her, twisting, but was pinned to the floor under Rebecca's weight.He tried to push her off, swearing coarsely."_Get off me!Get off!" _

# 

# Rebecca's lips thinned as she reached over, gripped the hood and roughly tore it off.When she saw who it was, she was so surprised that she did not resist when her quarry finally rolled over, breaking her hold.The words tripped out before she could stop them.

# 

# "It's _you!"_

# 

# **End of Part Two**

[A Star is Torn, Part 3][1]

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	3. A Star is Torn, Part 3 of 3

_ _

A STAR IS TORN  
(Part 3 of 3)  


_TaleSpin and its characters are the property of Buena Vista Television/Walt Disney Co.This short story was adapted from the televised episode written by Dev Ross.No profit was made, so please don't sue me.Some extra parts were written and minor changes were made in order to improve the narrative flow for the written page. I would also like to thank my good pal Ted for his invaluable feedback and advice_

_ _

_**by Michelle "Gidget" Beaubien**_

**_ _**

Shakily getting to her feet, Rebecca could only stare at Kitten Kaboodle. "It's you!_You've been the one causing all the accidents!"_

A haunted expression crossed the other woman's delicate features; she looked as vulnerable as Molly did when she was scolded.Her pale blue eyes pleaded for understanding and her lower lip trembled.

"Yes…yes…" she whispered, "It was I."Shakily, she sat up, looking terribly frail.

"But…why?" 

"You…you wouldn't understand," Rising to her feet, Kitten brought her wrist up to her brow dramatically and turned away sobbing, hiding her face in shame. "It's all so…_terrible!"Unable to resist checking Rebecca's reaction to her plight, she peeked through interwoven fingers, exposing one lovely blue eye._

Unimpressed, Rebecca crossed her arms in a bored fashion and continued to stare.This always worked with Baloo when he tried to con her with his stupid excuses for being late.It didn't fail her here either. "So's your acting."For two seconds, the actress's pretty face froze with wounded surprise, then darkened with fury as she whipped around to glower at the businesswoman.

"_All right!" she snarled, in a voice so coarsened by hatred that it was hard to believe that this was the same honey-voiced woman who had Baloo under her spell. Kitten removed her gloves and black robe, tossing them carelessly aside, revealing her white gown underneath."So my last two pictures flopped big and my career's on the skids.I needed the publicity to put me back on top.It's as __simple as that." Reaching in her dress pocket, she produced a round compact and flipped the lid open.She twisted a tube of lipstick and applied a fresh rosy pink coat.Like a pendulum, her voice swung back to her customary purr."Now, if you'll excuse me..." She turned opened the exit door and walked away with graceful, leggy strides.The other woman followed her._

Rebecca was incredulous. "You risked all those people's lives for a _movie?"_

"Hey. That's show biz."Giving her reflection a final glance of approval, the actress kissed it, and clicked the compact shut.She snapped her fingers, and a limousine smartly appeared at the curb. She gave Rebecca a smug, crooked smile.That did it.

Rebecca stalked in front of her, blocking her path.Her anger boiled and the words spilled out, furious. "Well, I'm not going let you risk Baloo's life.I'm going to tell him _everything!"Kitten shoved her roughly aside._

The driver opened the passenger door for Kitten to slide in, then closed it.Kitten leaned lazily out the window, chin cupped in one hand.Her expression was as hard and cold as that of a porcelain doll. Her soft blue eyes were as wintry as ice and her voice was again filled with loathing and contempt. "Go ahead, _darling," she sneered, "I've got that big, dumb galoot wrapped around my little finger.Who do you think he'll believe, me…or you?"_

She depressed a button and the tinted window closed, concealing her from view, as final and smug as the last word.The motor revved to life and again Rebecca was left standing on the curb alone.

She shouted after her, "Baloo and I are friends!He'll believe _me!"_

**…..**

_7:00pm, Airfield set _

"Places, everybody!"C.B. called out.Crew members and actors alike shuffled around the airfield, finding their marks and adjusting the lighting and cameras.Baloo's stunt plane rested in the middle of the outdoor set, waiting for take-off. Another plane sat several feet away, as a spare. 

"I don't believe you!" was Baloo's shocked and angry response.He was wearing a bomber's jacket, goggles and a long scarf that dangled dashingly over his left shoulder. In a designated area behind the cameras and equipment, Kit and Wildcat stood expectantly, waiting for his stunt to begin. 

Kitten nudged Rebecca aside with her hip and hissed, "See? Told ya so!" She stepped in front of the burly pilot and began to adjust his collar.She asked huskily, "Ready for the big stunt, Baloozie-woozie?"

The scowl on the bear's face was instantly replaced by a delighted, adoring grin. "Oh, _anything, Kiki!"Smiling, she took the end of his flight scarf and started to lead him to the stunt plane until Rebecca blocked their way._

"But I saw her sabotage the plane myself, Baloo!" she protested.

"Sabotage, schmabotage," he snapped."Jealousy, more like it.Now simmer down, Becky, and---!"

A stabbing pain lanced her, and she felt sick.This couldn't be happening.Suddenly, a ghostly phrase, spoken in the sanctum of Shere Khan's plush office, invaded her brain, from what seemed to be a lifetime ago: You_ let somebody get close to ya and they stab ya in the back!She folded her arms and said coldly, "It's __Rebecca."_

He took Kitten's arm protectively."Fine.Then I'm doing this stunt for _Kiki.Got it?"Rebecca's lips thinned.He was just as rude as the day they'd met, when he'd slammed the door of Baloo's Air Service in her face, trying to pretend that she didn't exist.__I should leave him to the wolves, she thought.But a tiny part of her protested, __But still…_

"Stunt pro at the ready!" The director said, using the megaphone around Montgomery's long neck.The assistant held the script tucked under one wing.

"That's my cue!" said Baloo cheerfully.With that, turning on his heel and lumbered toward the stunt plane. _The heck with her. I've got me some flyin' ta do!_

"Break a neck…uh, _leg, Baby Bear." Kitten said.It was a showbiz expression version of'good luck' on stage.Baloo turned slightly and blew several kisses in her direction, then continued his path to the stunt plane.Suddenly, something grabbed his leg!_

Rebecca had thrown herself to the ground, arms wrapped around his right leg in a viselike grip."_But Baloo!" The words were strangled, desperate._

"Hey!Leggo of my leg, lady!" He tried to walk, dragging her with him.

"Please, Baloo, as a _friend…" she implored him, looking up with anguished eyes. "__Don't fly this stunt!"_

He jerked his leg from her grasp and was about to climb into the cockpit. "Well, we aren't friends anymore, are we, _Rebecca?" he said coldly.Then he nearly shed his fur when C.B. suddenly popped up on the other side of the plane, bellowing into his megaphone."__What is holding up this stunt?"_

Rebecca wearily got to her feet and stepped in front of Baloo, blocking the cockpit.Her expression was one of wounded dignity.

"All right," she said flatly."I won't stand in your way."

"Great," was what Baloo started to say, until something cylindrical was suddenly jammed over his head, and all he saw were blinding stars and darkness."Hey!Who turned out the lights?"

"My megaphone!" yelled C.B., outraged by this sacrilege. "Give it back!"He yanked it off Baloo's head.Rebecca climbed into the cockpit, gave him a hard shove backwards, then flipped the ignition switches on the control panel.The engine revved to life.

"Sorry, Baloo," Rebecca called over her shoulder."But I _am your friend!"The plane rose from the ground, lifting her forward, then up._

Baloo couldn't believe his eyes. "That crazy dame is stealin' my stunt!" he said indignantly._Of all the lowdown, dirty tricks…_

C.B.'s sharp eyes lit up.Here was some _great footage about to happen…_

"Action! Action!" he shouted at his crew. "Special effects!"

Fireworks and explosives blasted into the sky, nearly blinding Rebecca.The plane tilted suddenly to the left.Quickly she righted it.

Rebecca clenched the control stick with grim determination."I'm a friend and I'll prove it.Even if it kills me." She told herself.Again the plane rolled dangerously, the wings almost vertical."Why do I always have to be so literal?" she groaned.Explosives burst in front of the propeller, showering her with sparks.

Suddenly, a small, shiny object twinkled under the spotlights, catching Wildcat's eye._A star! He thought excitedly.Drawing out his trusty star-catching butterfly net, very quietly, on tiptoe, he advanced._

Kit glanced briefly at him, his attention on Rebecca shanghaiing Baloo's stunt plane."Wildcat, what are you _doing?"Wildcat shushed him._

"Shhh…" he whispered."Don't want to scare it away…" Exasperated, Kit rolled his eyes and continued to follow the action above.

An explosive just missed Rebecca's head. "Oh, dear!" she squeaked, sinking lower into the pilot's seat.

"That's _my limelight she's in!" The big pilot glared up at the sky, shaking his fist._

Kit and Wildcat came running up, panting.Both were frantic and spoke simultaneously in their urgency.

"Baloo, look what Wildcat found!It fell off the stunt plane!"

Wildcat held up his net, displaying the sabotaged airplane part. "Without this thingy, there's no way you could do your stunt---you'd _crash!" Wildcat hurriedly explained."Good thing you aren't up there now."_

It took a moment for Baloo to realize the calamity that was about to happen.They gaped at each other with mounting horror.Over their heads, Rebecca fought with the controls, but it was a losing battle.The stunt plane began to gasp and sputter, then tipped in a sickening bow.Her stomach lurched and her knuckles whitened on the control stick as the craft began to nose dive, gaining speed.

_My God!I'm going to crash!__Molly!_

Baloo cried, "Rebecca!" _Oh man, she'll get killed! " Don't worry, Becky---I'll get ya you out of this in a jiffy!"_

He hoped._Gotta save her.Gotta tell her I didn't mean it!The angry, hurtful words he and Rebecca exchanged echoed in his fevered brain._

Running as fast as his heavy legs would allow him, he raced to the spare stunt plane, and bounded into the cockpit.Both Kit and Wildcat pulled the chocks from under the wheels and in seconds, he too was airborne. 

Montgomery was shocked. "It doesn't say that in the script!" he cried, flapping the pages in C.B.'s face.His boss waved him away impatiently.

"Who cares?" he demanded, not turning his head from the sight above them. He ordered the elephant cameraman, "Keep rolling, keep rolling!" 

_Well, we aren't friends anymore, are we, Rebecca?_

_ _

Would _that be the last thing he ever said to her?The last words she would remember?Grimly, he dodged an explosive, keeping the nose pointed straight up and shouted as he passed her:"Hang on!"_

"To _what?" she shouted back._

He did a hairpin maneuver and swooped down, banking the plane until he was on her right, almost parallel to Rebecca's struggling craft.

He shouted above the noise, but everyone below could hear him just fine, since speakers were installed in both planes so dialogue could be recorded for the movie. "Becky!Grab my hand!"He stretched out a large paw, trying to reach over the wing.She looked surprised, happy to see him and reached out, almost touching his fingertips…then snatched her hand back.

"No!I refuse to budge until we talk!"She folded her arms stubbornly.

_That crazy dame!He couldn't believe it._

"Talk!Are you kiddin'?" he exploded, then switched tactics, pleading with her. "Look, couldn't we talk later---I mean, say _after we're on the ground---__in one piece?"_

"No!What's the good me going to all this trouble if we don't have a good heart-to-heart _right here and now!"All the hurt and resentment boiled inside her, obliterating all reason.He was right, but she didn't care.They were seven hundred feet in midair, and descending fast.__Six hundred feet…_

"All right!All right!We'll talk!" Baloo stole a peek over the cockpit and moaned. _Five hundred feet. He spoke very fast, the words running together as one._

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You said we were friends, Baloo, but then you never treated me like one!" She glared at him fiercely, staring him down.

Below, C.B. was in hopping up and down, urging the cameraman, "I love it!Keep rolling, keep rolling!"Several feet behind them, Kitten was relaxing in a lounge chair, reading a magazine.She let out a bored yawn.

In the air, Rebecca told him, "Friends talk. They trust each other and they stick together.You said so yourself!"

Below, Kit said tersely, "Uh-oh---Baloo'd better think fast or he and Miz Cunningham are gonna get _glued to the pavement!"Wildcat covered his eyes, unable to bear the grisly image._

Baloo was dumbfounded, then ashamed. "You're right.I haven't been much of a friend.Too many stars in my eyes, I guess."With pleading eyes, he again stretched out his paw."Is it too late to try again, Rebecca?"_Four hundred feet. _

Rebecca hesitated, her expression softening. Then she smiled at him, extending her hand."It's Becky."

Just as their fingers touched, the pavement seemed to rush at them. 

Below, Kit and Wildcat could not look away.Carnage was inevitable and would be forever imprinted on their brains.The two planes dove, then tipped over, the wings blocking their view. They couldn't see Baloo and Rebecca anymore.

Then, in a blinding orange flash, they heard the shriek of metal hit the ground, then a deafening explosion.Roaring flames and black smoke mushroomed upward.

Horror-stricken, Kit felt his insides collapse. "_Baloo!Miz Cunningham!"Wildcat kept his eyes covered, not responding._

Then, a faint hum of propellers came from the heart of the flames.It grew louder until it became a roar.The second stunt plane emerged from the smoke, swooping up and out, then straightened to an even keel.Smiling, Baloo guided the craft aloft, one hand on the steering wheel and his other arm around Rebecca, who gazed up at him with admiration…and something else she could not have named that day.

Kit nudged Wildcat."Look!"

"They made it!" Wildcat gleefully twirled his cap on one finger. "And it's a good thing too!" he added.

"All right, they made it!"Behind them, the crowds cheered.Kitten leaped from her seat, dropping her magazine, her lovely mouth agape.Baloo landed the plane, climbed out and then gallantly helped Rebecca step out.

_ _

C.B. had jumped up onto his assistant's skinny shoulders, bouncing up and down excitedly."Cut!Print! Oscar, here I come!"Suddenly, the casing of the camera popped open and the film, his precious Oscar-winning opus, escaped its prison and lay in a winding heap on the ground.With dismay that was almost too painful to watch, the director wailed, "Oh _nooo!" and, pounding on poor Montgomery's head with the megaphone, he began to cry._

Kitten Kaboodle, the golden girl of Starrywood, was undergoing an amazing transformation.For the second time that day, she lost control and threw a tantrum. She stamped both feet and swung at the air with clenched fists, her face an ugly mask of rage.Or rather, it was not a mask at all.

"_No, no, no!That idiot was supposed to crash!"__ she shrieked, her voice suddenly shrewish and coarse."He's completely __ruined my accident!"Then she was surrounded scoop-hungry newshounds, who aimed and fired their cameras at her from every angle. "Oops." She blinked, remembering her role._

She gave the reporters a charming, sheepish smile."Did I say _accident?" she purred."__Petite erreur?"At that, someone called the police department and almost immediately, Starrywood's finest were at the scene.Before she could fathom what was happening, Kitten Kaboodle found herself frisked (they found her lipstick and compact), handcuffed and read her rights._

Baloo and Rebecca were too preoccupied with the aftermath of their latest brush with death to notice.He cupped her hands between his large ones and asked her, "Friends for life?"

She smiled. "Friends.Even if you _are easily fooled by a pretty face." _

"_Great set of legs, too."Baloo gazed wistfully past her, and she turned to see the police firmly push a cursing, handcuffed Kitten into the back of the paddy wagon.Then they slammed the doors shut, locking them, and were on their way to Starrywood Precinct.The actress would soon learn a new definition of 'booking'._

Suddenly, Baloo noticed her glare and hastened to add, "Hey, just kiddin', Boss Lady!Just kiddin'---I'll never be star-struck again!"He was rewarded with another lovely smile._She's sorta cute when she does that, he thought._

Kit and Wildcat came running up and everyone embraced everyone else.At the end, Kit and Wildcat gave each other a rough hug and let go.

"Wow, you guys sure cut it close!I thought it was gonna be _spatula time!" marveled Kit._

Baloo and Rebecca were still in each other's arms.She leaned her head against his chest and looked up at him.He answered Kit, but he smiled down at her.

"Naw, kid.Me and my friend here, we had everything under control."He gave her a squeeze and she returned it.

"Great! Well, I gotta be going, then." Kit said briskly and started to walk away.

"But Kit, we were just leaving for home and---!" began Rebecca.

"_Home?" he wailed."But I've got an audition for the new Bumphrey Hogart film!" and continued on his way to the set.He could not miss an opportunity like this!_

Rebecca, formerly the voice of reason, clasped her hands together and said fervently, "Bumphrey Hogart?Why, he's only the _dreamiest star in the whole world!"She ran after him."Wait, Kit, wait!"_

Wildcat pulled out his net."A star?"He hurried after them.Baloo was left alone.

Hands on his hips and a little miffed, he watched the bizarre parade of three disappear into the distance.

"Aw, now --- what's gotten into _them?"_

### The End

** **

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